China Championship Day 5

With yesterday’s play causing more pain for the top 16, the likes of Judd Trump and John Higgins were sent packing. With only Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby and Mark Williams left from the snooker elite, todays play was always going to be an interesting encounter. In the afternoon’s play, Mark Williams was drawn against David Gilbert. Williams played out of his skin, leaving Gilbert left sat in his chair for most of the opening frames, Gilbert was only able to capture a frame in a match that started off as what could have been described as “The Mark Williams Show”. This was quick fire play by the Welshman and if you had left the room for any reason, you would have returned to find Williams already 3-1 to the good. Breaks of 63, 93 and 56 saw Mark leaving the arena to return to his dressing room with a big grin on his face. After the interval, this perfection story with Williams taking the first frame after the interval to lead 4-1. A messy next frame ensued with Williams unable to kill off the frame and match in one visit. He eventually potted the last long red and a slap on his thigh after the pot showed what it meant for Mark. Final score, 5-1, Williams. Sadly Gilbert didn’t show up today as his opponent left him mentally drained and bruised.

On the other table Joe Perry was up against Hossein Vafaei. Perry didn’t display that baize brilliance that he displayed yesterday and his Iranian opponent had Perry under the cosh. Vafaei has in my opinion a false ranking of 41, Hossein is a much better player and beat Joe Perry at their last meeting. Perry managed to take two frames but Hossein doubled his opponent’s score line by doubling it with four frames. Into what could have been the last frame, Hossein’s arm tightened up and the fluency that he had showed before took a momentary absence. However both players struggled in this frame on a ball formation that could have straight out of a horror film. This table was ugly with all the reds huddled on the right hand side of the table. A fabulous long red by Vafaei put him back in contention but he again broke down and offered Joe a lifeline in this match and Perry clawed one back to make it 3-4. In the next frame, Joe Perry got in early but again ran out of petrol when it mattered. Hossein got in and started developing the balls into potable positions like a magician. Vafaei could have let the nerves get to him and with tension palpable in the air, the Iranian cleared the remaining balls on the table, Hossein was cucumber cool and a fist pump in the air, declared a progression to the last four and a meeting with Mark Williams. Vafaei wins 5-3.

In the evening’s play Mark Selby was drawn against Barry Hawkins. This was quite an even match with maybe Selby just having the edge before the start of the match. In the head to head, Selby has eight wins over Hawkins’ seven. In the first frame, Selby started the frame in style with a two ball plant but decided to leave Barry snookered tightly behind the green at the baulk end. A mistake by Selby failed to get Hawkins going as

he went too far into the pack of reds to attempt a colour. A cagey battle began with a final result of re-rack, so the twenty- five minutes didn’t really happen or matter. In the second take of the first frame, Selby got in first but only made forty-five points. Selby got in again and killed the frame off after Hawkins required two snookers, 1-0, Selby. Hawkins then took the next frame to make it one a piece. Hawkins then took the next frame with a 62 break to make it 2-1. Undeterred, Mark applied his nerves of steel and levelled the match to 2-2 at the interval. Selby took the next to make it 3-2. Hawkins amassed fifty points in the next but it wasn’t enough to win him the frame. This match had become a match within a match and multiple snookers ensued by both players before Hawkins eventually won the frame on the colours, 3-3. Another re-rack occurred and the frame went to a battle for the last red. Hawkins won the safety duel but it now went to a battle on the green with Selby winning it but missed the brown. Hawkins potted the brown but missed the pink. Selby eventually potted the pink and black to win a marathon frame and take a 4-3 lead. Hawkins took the next after Selby sensationally broke down and Hawkins forced a decider, 4-4. Selby won the decider to take the match, 5-4. A match that ended at five minutes past midnight.

In the other match, Kurt Maflin was playing Shaun Murphy. Maflin who had a great win against John Higgins yesterday, sadly didn’t play as well today and it was Murphy who had the run of the ball. A spirited effort by Kurt gave him two frames but in the end Murphy dominated the match. Shaun Murphy has a recent track record of getting to the final with recent clashes with Judd Trump in the International Championship and Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Shanghai Masters. Sadly he met players who were in top form and it wasn’t to be his day on either occasion. Maybe today could be a turning point and this may be his tournament as he breezes past Kurt Maflin, 5-2 and reaches his third semi-final on the bounce.